June 19, 2009

Tiny particles from incinerators will reduce your life by up to two years.

Nobody understands the science. That's why we have Fianna Fail.

You can trust your clever politicians to protect you by directing their political appointees, dressed up as scientists, at EPA, Bord Pleanala, and elsewhere._________________http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0610/1224248531633.html

Expert challenges risk study for incinerator

LOUISE ROSEINGRAVE

Wed, Jun 10, 2009

TOXICOLOGICAL EFFECTS of nano-particles such as those produced from an incinerator stack can be responsible for exacerbating human health problems including asthma, bronchitis and heart disease, according to a scientific expert who gave evidence on behalf of objectors at a public hearing yesterday.

His claims were disputed by Indaver Ireland. Prof Howard, who is in charge of of bioimaging at the University of Ulster, has written and spoken in a variety of forums to draw attention to the threat posed by pollutants to developing foetuses and infants.

Speaking on behalf of anti-incinerator campaign group Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment at a hearing on the proposed incinerator yesterday, Prof Howard, described as a medically qualified toxico-pathologist, claimed there were airborne particles for which there was no known safe level, and that Indaver Ireland’s risk assessment did not cover the emittance of such particles. “The risk assessment in relation to particles that has been undertaken by Indaver is rather simplistic and appears to ignore the very significant contribution made to particulate burdens made by sulphur dioxide and especially nitrous oxide emissions.”

Prof Howard said while effects of individual toxins were known, the effects of multiple toxins in the air was unknown, and research into such effects was difficult.

Indaver Ireland’s risk assessment is based on the effects of individual toxins as per Environmental Protection Agency air quality standards.

“This approach is fundamentally flawed for those emissions like particles, for which no safe level can be demonstrated,” Prof Howard said.

Air pollution levels well within legal limits were killing people, he claimed, “especially older people and those with chronic heart and lung ailments”. Children and foetuses were particularly at risk from airborne pollutant particles, as their immune system and lungs were not fully developed, he said.

“There can be no doubt that children and even the foetus are particularly vulnerable to particle air pollutants, while this has been largely overlooked in setting current standards and controls,” he said.

He cited a review by scientists Joachim Heinrich and Remy Slama showing fine particle pollutants had been associated with infant mortality, impaired lung function and, less consistently, with sudden infant death syndrome.

In his report, Prof Howard claimed Indaver had “completely omitted any consideration of secondary particles and their impacts from their assessments”, which he said can account for a major fraction of the particles emitted by incinerators, despite filtration.

It was claimed that a high proportion of ultra-fine particles emitted through the incineration process evaded filtration systems.

“The subsequent direct uptake of these respirable particles and the ready transfer from the lungs into the bloodstream may be part of the reason that traditional toxicology is at a loss to explain the level of impacts for such apparently low exposures,” he said.

An Indaver Ireland spokesman said Prof Howard’s opinion was “at odds” with views of the World Health Organisation, EU and EPA. “Dioxins are all around us every day. Traffic, home heating and agriculture are among the main dioxin contributors. WHO and EU set safe level limits for dioxin emissions, and expert analysis has shown that the proposed development will have a minuscule effect,” the spokesman said.

What is the true purpose wherein Finance Minister Lenihan even considers appointing the front-man for the Irish Glass Bottle site 'sale' to NAMA?

What about basic governance? What about past business deals with DDDA? NAMA now has less credibility than either Anglo or DDDA.

DDDA is highly challenged by its curious links with Anglo-Irish Bank. DDDA and Anglo were possibly the catalyst for the €490 thousand million banking guarantee scam, and the €90 thousand million NAMA scam.

The large hole in the ground at the Irish Glass Bottle site in Ringsend is apparently being sold to Irish taxpayers for €490 million, or so. This is consistent with Mr Biffo and Mr Lenihan following the instructions given to them by the galway tent cartel in September 2008.

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Glass Bottlers dealmaker Mulcahy linked with property role at Nama

By Nick Webb

Sunday June 14 2009

JOHN Mulcahy, chairman of Jones Lang LaSalle, is likely to be tapped up to become Nama's latest recruit. Mulcahy was a key adviser on some of the largest property deals done at the height of the boom.

Mulcahy was also involved in a number of major DDDA schemes including the development of retail and residential complexes at Grand Canal quay.

It is understood that the businessman may be approached to take a key property portfolio advisory role at the State asset management agency. Further legal and banking advisers are also being sought after PwC and HSBC were appointed by Nama last week.

Mulcahy welcomed the creation of Nama after the April budget. "This measure makes sound commercial sense for both Government and banks," he said.

Based in Dublin since 1964, Jones Lang LaSalle has been central to the development of major office and retail schemes around the country. It is also prominent in the industrial property sector. The company is part of the US Jones Lang LaSalle group.

June 8, 2009

The US firm leading the consortium to build an incinerator at Poolbeg in Dublin is attempting to raise $400 million from bond investors to part-finance the project.

Covanta, a US-quoted energy firm, is heading Dublin Waste to Energy Ltd, which has been awarded the contract to build and operate the incinerator. The consortium recently assured Dublin City Council that all funding was in place for the project.

However, Covanta has struggled to secure finance for phase one of the project, and is now seeking to raise $400 million through ‘‘cash-convertible senior notes’’. It is proposing to pay investors a return of 6.5 per cent a year on their capital. [Should read 3.25% p.a. ??]

In documents filed last week with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the US, Covanta said the net proceeds of the bond issue would be used for working capital, including ‘‘funding a portion of the construction cost for a 1,700 metric energy-from waste facility in Dublin’’.

It is understood that Covanta had tried to raise bank debt, but no institution was willing to act as the primary banker to the Poolbeg project, due to the lack of liquidity on the international credit markets.

However, a number of lenders have informed the consortium that they may consider part-financing latter aspects of the project. The planned incinerator is a central element of the country’s waste management strategy. If completed as planned, it will burn 600,000 tonnes of waste a year, creating electricity for 50, 000 homes and hot water heating for a further 60,000 households. However, there has been opposition both to the Poolbeg project, and to incineration in general in Ireland, with a number of projects beset by delays.

Last week, John Gormley, the Green Party Minister for the Environment, is sued a circular which stated that he would introduce a levy to be borne by companies incinerating waste and anybody selling waste for incineration.

Gormley has also instructed the director general of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),Dr Mary Kelly, and all council managers nationwide, that they must in future ‘‘refrain from exercising their powers in such a way as to direct waste to landfill or incineration’’.

Gormley told the EPA and the council heads that he was initiating a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), instructing them that government policy had taken decisive steps to encourage recycling and discourage incineration.